“It’s
okay,” he said. “I’m going to be between the doors and the
stairs at all times. I’m taking two knives. I’ll block the door.
You’re safe.”

She
let go of his arm. With a glance at James, sleeping soundly in the
crib, she sank back into the pillow, and almost immediately into the
sleep of exhaustion. Shawn touched her forehead, running his finger
along the line of dark hair at her temple. Did you ever watch her
sleep, Angus had asked. He
thought of Angus, in a hospital bed, in pain, as they slept in his
bed. He pulled his hand away, watching her another moment before
snatching up two of the knives and turning for the door.

He
pulled it shut behind him. There was nothing to block it with. He
went into the bedroom at the end of the hall and walked the
nightstand out, a barrier in the narrow hall. It was little
protection against a medieval knight,